1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to structural members used in the construction of buildings and the like, and more particularly to panel structures of generally broad, planar configuration which may be used in constructing the walls of a building or in similar structural applications.
2. History of the Prior Art
Panel structures, particularly those made of metal, have enjoyed increasing popularity in the construction of building walls and similar structural applications. Thus, conventional wood studs, which are nailed to a wood header at the top and to a wood baseboard at the bottom to form the basic superstructure of a wall, are increasingly being replaced by metal structural members. Hollow metal studs having a size and shape similar to wood 2.times.4's are installed by inserting the upper ends thereof in a generally U-shaped metal header nailed or otherwise secured to the ceiling or other structure at the top of a wall being constructed. The lower ends of the metal studs are disposed within a generally U-shaped metal footer mounted on the floor or other structure at the bottom of the wall. The metal studs are then secured to the upper and lower U-shaped members by sheet metal screws or other appropriate fasteners. Metal structural members of this type have a number of advantages over more traditional wood members, not the least of which is that they are fireproof.
While metal structural members such as the metal studs and U-shaped members described have various advantages, they nevertheless suffer from a number of shortcomings. For one thing, panel structures which are assembled from such members require a substantial amount of time to construct. In the case of the more conventional wood members, each of a plurality of wood studs must be nailed in place, both top and bottom, when constructing a building wall or other like structure. This requires considerable time. In the case of metal members, the individual metal studs must be attached to both the upper and lower U-shaped members, again requiring a substantial amount of time to complete. Once such structures are assembled, they may lack the necessary strength and rigidity for certain environments. For example, the twisting movements often undergone by a wall during an earthquake tend to tear the ends of metal studs from the upper and lower U-shaped members. For reasons such as this, such structures must often be sheared, such as by securing sheets of plywood thereto.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a panel structure, suitable for use in the construction of building walls and similar structural applications, which is easily and quickly assembled. Such structures, when assembled, should have substantial strength and rigidity so as to be capable of withstanding not only the normal loads imposed by the structural applications but also occasional excess loading such as may occur during an earthquake. Such panel structures should be versatile in terms of their adaptability to a variety of different applications, such as in the construction of ceilings or roofs, as well as walls, where certain strength and rigidity characteristics are required.